1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stacked cell manufacturing method and an apparatus using the same, and in particular, to a manufacturing method suitable for application to, for example, a lithium ion cell, and so forth, and a manufacturing apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stacked cell made up by alternately stacking a positive-plate and a negative-plate by the intermediary of a separator has advantages of high cooling property at the time of charging the cell, and less damage to the separator. As one of the stacked cells, a zigzag-folding type stacked cell made up by subjecting a separator to zigzag-folding, thereby alternately placing respective electrode-plates (a positive-plate, a negative plate) between folded surfaces of the separator is insusceptible to a wrinkle, and curling up because the separator is continuously in use, and further, the zigzag-folding type stacked cell can be produced irrespective of a type of the separator. A zigzag-folding type stacked cell according to the related art is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-22449.
With the manufacturing apparatus of zigzag-folding type stacked cell according to the related art, a separator zigzag-folding machine, a positive-plate feeding-unit, and a negative-plate feeding-unit are each separately prepared, and the positive-plate feeding-unit and the negative-plate feeding-unit are disposed on the respective sides of a work position where the zigzag-folding of the separator is executed. The positive-plate feeding-unit and the negative-plate feeding-unit are disposed in a direction orthogonal to the zigzag-folding direction of the separator with the work-position for the zigzag-folding, interposed therebetween.
Accordingly, in the case where the respective electrode-plates (the positive-plate, and the negative plate) are alternately fed from the positive-plate feeding-unit and the negative-plate feeding-unit, respectively, to the work position for the zigzag-folding of the separator, a motion for the zigzag-folding of the separator is interrupted every time the electrode-plate is fed, so that a continuous stacking work has become difficult to be executed, thereby creating a factor for deterioration in production efficiency. Further, a problem has existed in that stacking accuracy cannot be improved due to a transfer occurring to a stacking part of the separator/the electrode-plate.
A cell assembly system is required to satisfy conditions including (a) prevention of foreign matter interfusion, (b) enhancement in accuracy in order to ensure high-performance, and (c) achievement of highly efficient production.
The present invention has been developed from the standpoint described as above, and it is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a zigzag-folding type stacked cell manufacturing method and an apparatus using the same which achieves a highly efficient production.